Home > The rain didn’t put off the crowds who flocked to the Harwich Maritime Festival

The rain didn’t put off the crowds who flocked to the Harwich Maritime Festival

A bumper crowd flocked to the festival on Saturday 27 July to enjoy a packed programme of top quality performers, stalls, quayside entertainment and displays by the RNLI and Svitzer tugs who sprayed their water cannon out in the harbour. The barges from the Pin Mill Barge match also joined in the action and visitors enjoyed a great view of the majestic wooden barges as they sailed through Harwich Harbour on their way to the River Stour.

Visitors were able to tour the Trinity House vessel Alert, a Harwich Haven Authority Pilot launch and Galloper Wind Farm’s workboat Seacat.

The main stage performers were J.S and the Lockerbillies (who performed this year at Glastonbury, J.S and J.S. and the Buccaneers. The super slick Sass, Wiggle and Sass wowed the audience with their 1940s retro set and The Harwich Shanty Group and The Wivenhoe-based shanty group, The Hoolies performed on Ha’penny Pier. The day was finished off by the Colchester-based folk rock band Fishclaw.

Joining us on the day were our media partners BBC Essex. Running the programme were presenters Ian Wyatt and Steve Scruton.

‘We were overwhelmed by the amount of people who came along on Saturday despite the weather, says Fiona Brunning, communication manager, Harwich Haven Authority.

‘There was a great party atmosphere throughout the day and we have received some wonderful feedback about the diverse and quality programme we provided.

‘We promoted the event to a much wider audience this year and many visitors came in from Suffolk and further afield. Hopefully they will have seen what a great place Harwich is and come back again.

‘I would like to thank the community of Harwich for their support with this year’s Maritime Festival and our sponsors Galloper Wind Farm, Direct Solutions and BBC Essex.’